BigTramFan

If Stecher is truly going to be traded, maybe JB should be targeting a real heavyweight enforcer such as MacDermid as a bottom D pairing option. LAK are happily selling off all assets. With MacDermid in the lineup guys like MacEwen, Miller, Roussel, Virtanen and Horvat should feel like they can play bigger. Also I am just hoping that the shackles come off in the post season and the Canucks play a lot tougher with a group pushback mentality. Horvat, as our leader and captain, needs to show the way here IMO.

So you’re saying we could afford to take on the full cap hit of one pending UFA such as: Kreider, Simmonds, Martinez, Pageau, Green, Borowiecki, Boedker, Frolik... I would be keen to add Simmonds and Borowiecki before the TDL. As long as the price isn’t too high. Adds some good depth and some serious pushback and grit to the lineup. Motte will be back shortly so might have to move MacEwen and Brisebois back to Utica to open up the necessary roster spots and cap space. Big Mac can be bought back in the post season or in case of further injury. Roster for remainder of regular season becomes: Miller Pettersson Virtanen Pearson Horvat Toffoli Roussel Gaudette Simmonds Motte Beagle Sutter Eriksson Edler Myers Hughes Tanev Borowiecki Stecher Benn Probably returning during regular season: Fantenberg Hopefully returning to roster during playoffs: Boeser Leivo MacEwen

I didn't say we wouldn't have cap space to fit cover things. JB will have to find the space to cover things, it's a requirement of the league and cap system. I was referring to your comments to another poster: "You're making me think that you don't fully understand how LTIR works. Basically, the 3.5 million does not exist unless / until Ferland resumes his career. In a really odd way, having someone on LTIR, actually gives the team more flexibility" First you belittle the poster regarding LTIR, then you show that you don't understand it yourself. Now you're trying to change the subject into "I am sure JB will make it work" "It always works out"... My point is that you should have more respect for other posters if you don't know what you are talking about yourself.

Well he will have to. Doesn't change my point...You are wrong when you say Ferland being on LTIR won't affect the team or it's cap structure. Ferland's cap hit (even when he is on LTIR) will count towards the total cap. Since we likely will not pay for any performance bonuses this season, the league will force us to pay for the 2019/20 bonuses next season. So we will need to be about $3-4m under the cap ceiling next season including Ferland's cap hit.

Yes and no. If we have to use LTIR over and above the cap limit, then it means we are not banking any cap space for performance bonuses. And these bonuses may be quite large this year and next year. This means if Ferland remains on LTIR it will absolutely affect the Canucks and our cap situation. Once you are over the cap limit and into LTIR then it doesn't really matter how far over you are on LTIR. For example, TOR didn't necessarily want more LTIR but since they were already over they could take some assets from another team along with the additional player on LTIR. So LTIR does have a negative effect on paying for performance bonuses and teams don't want to be using LTIR for that reason, unless they have to.

While we're buying Kings players... ...let's get Macdermid for the playoffs...

I also heard Benning's comments regarding cap. And I agree that we are in pretty good shape, but there are some reasonably tough decisions to make over the next two years, beginning as early as this year's TDL. I interpret JB's comments as "it's OK, no need to panic". And he's right, no panic required. But some smart decisions ARE needed. We are not rebuilding, but like all competing teams, you need to make minor roster changes year-on-year to remain competitive. I'm not trying to drag you into a discussion on cap, especially if this is not of interest to you, but if JB retains all of his depth for the 2020 playoffs then we will enter next season with cap space of $18.0m, but out of that space we are forced to pay the performance bonuses from the 2019/20 season, which could be as high as $4.9m. This means cap space for 2020/21 could be only $13.1m. Using that space we need to sign or resign 3 forwards, 3 defencemen and 1 goalie. In order to remain competitive next season, JB will need to create more space than $13.1m by moving on from 2 or 3 of the following players: Markstrom, Tanev, Sutter, Baertschi, Stecher or Eriksson. And replace them with young talent on ELC's. I think most of us agree that Markstrom is a keeper. Tanev is our best defensive player and is an excellent partner for Hughes. And that Eriksson will cost a lot to move, so may not be worth moving at this stage. So that really leaves the likes of Sutter and Baertschi as guys that, although they provide excellent depth and leadership, they are moveable compared to Markstrom, Tanev and Eriksson, and we have depth in their positions that can more readily take on the role that they leave behind. My opinion is that Sutter and Baer will be easiest to move at this year's TDL because cup contenders are looking for depth and injury cover. I also see your point of view, and of course it would be great to keep them as OUR depth and injury cover, but I believe that is a luxury we cannot afford right now. It would be prudent to act now and move Sutter and Baer if at all possible. Cheers. GCG!

...a pill that would be quite easy to swallow knowing that we have cleared significant cap space for next season without adding assets to do it, plus added a 3rd rounder to JB's arsenal. It is assuming a lot that COL and VAN will meet in the playoffs and that Sutter remains healthy for long enough to play in the post season!

I like this trade. Perhaps Sutter has COL on his no trade list, perhaps not. But I like this trade. Ideal timing to trade Sutts is in the off season because he provides good defensive/shutdown depth for our playoff hopes, but I don't think there will be any takers at that time. And we may need to give up assets just to make it work at that stage. This way we trade him while another team has a desperate need for his services, plus he is healthy right now...

Vatanen is an offensive upgrade on Stecher (23 pts vs. 9pts) but if you want a stronger defensive partner than Stecher, I don't think Vatanen is the Dman you want bro. Comparing this season so far: Stecher: TOI = 839 mins, goals against while on ice in all situations = 28, GA/60mins = 2.0 Vatanen: TOI = 1022 mins, goals against while on ice in all situations = 55, GA/60mins = 3.2 Stecher is a GREAT defensive guy.

Thanks for your opinion, but in my opinion the salary estimates are fine. We will see soon enough what the salary values are. None of us know exactly what JB will do with the roster, but I think there is plenty of room to make moves that keep the roster competitive and remain cap compliant. No need to panic. In my previous post I am only giving an example of what I would do. And as a further example, if Markstrom requires $6.0m, and because he is what I would consider a priority signing, then I would likely look at not resigning Leivo and bringing in a younger ELC prospect in his place to free up the required cap space for $6.0m. There are always moves that can be made, and such moves WILL be made because they must be made to stay compliant. As per your request to see all the salaries...the attached screen shot from capfriendly shows that we could have $3.5m of cap space, with a maximum of $3.7m of performance bonuses to be paid (unlikely that the bonuses would reach $3.7m, so $3.5m should be fine). Regarding your other questions...I always included recapture penalties and buyouts in my figures. And, no we don't need to have a 14th forward on the roster imo. Cheers.

Which salary estimates do you think are extremely optimistic? And what do you think would be a more realistic amount for that player?

Realistically Juolevi may not make the team. Or maybe he could beat out Fantenberg next training camp. Or perhaps he may be back in Utica and be recalled as depth in 2020/21. Either way makes no difference to the point I was making, which was that the Canucks will be able to ice a competitive roster with cap hit of less than $80m with relative ease.

I believe JB will trade Eriksson prior to the last season of his contract. It will cost VAN some picks or prospects but this will clear $6m. Edler and Pearson will also not be resigned when their contracts end. Clearing another $9.75m. These will be the main moves to provide the cap space to sign Pettersson to a long term deal of about $10m AAV, and to sign Hughes to a bridge deal worth around $6m AAV. There are also a bunch of ELC's coming through that will be used to reduce the overall cap of the roster, such as Hoglander, Podkolzin, Juolevi, Rathbone, Rafferty, etc.

some random TDL predictions: Granlund to PIT Kreider to STL Martinez to CAR Vatanen to WPG Toffoli to COL

I believe JB will move Sutter, Stecher and Baer before next season. I don't think Ericksson will be able to be moved until after next season when he has just 1 year left on his contract. Resign the following for 2020/21 (plenty of room to negotiate and keep this total below $21.6m): Markstrom $5m Virtanen $3.0m Gaudette $2.0m Leivo $1.8m Motte $1.1m Tanev $4.75m Tryamkin $2.5m Fantenberg $1.0m Canucks roster for next season (total cap hit including all recapture, etc = $78.0m) should be enough cap space to cover performance bonuses: Miller Pettersson Boeser Pearson Horvat Virtanen Roussel Gaudette Leivo Ferland Beagle Motte Ericksson Edler Myers Hughes Tanev Benn Tryamkin Fantenberg Markstrom Demko

Short answer: No thanks Longer answer: Barrie has been playing PP2 (earlier this season) and now PP1 on the Leafs with Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Nylander. Despite this easy ride he has only managed a "stunning" 8 power play points (1 g, 7 a) in 52 games. I don't see him coming into the Canucks and making a difference to our PP on that form. He generally never plays on the PK because he is a terrible defender. Looking at his 5v5 stats...he has 22 even strength points (4g, 18a). His +/- is currently -2. By contrast Tanev has filled in on PP2 only a few times and plays on PK1 regularly because he is our best defender. Tanev has only 1 power play point and 1 shorthanded assist (expected to be low due to virtually no PP time). However, at even strength Tanev has 17 points (1g, 16a). His +/- is currently +6. I don't know if you guys have been keeping tabs on Tanev's offence because he is not known for it, but he is 7th in assists on the Canucks right now. Basically Barrie is NOT the offensive force he once was and Tanev actually provides a SIMILAR level of offence to Barrie at even strength! If you factor in the fact that Tanev is also a premier shutdown Dman and will likely resign with the Canucks for around $5m compared to Barrie who will be looking for $8m+, I think it's a no brainer...keep Tanev, don't go anywhere near Barrie.

Yes TOR is in a bind. Mostly with lack of cap space, which has limited their ability to afford depth and now with injuries their D corps is depleted. But the above trade is not realistic due to the lack of cap space for TOR. They can’t afford $8.9m coming in with only $4.3m going out. They also probably don’t want to send 2 Dmen out and only get one back, since they are already so thin on D. More likely they want to trade F or picks for more help on D. My last point is that I would only trade Tanev for a 1st round pick return. He is too valuable to VAN for anything less. Even with that return it is questionable whether we should let him go as he is a key piece to getting into the playoffs or not this season, and is key to being competitive in the playoffs if we make it.

Hi Rob I don’t understand what you mean about losing a depth forward “through the process”. What is the reason you say this? I don’t get it. SEA only selecting one player...

Crosby or Malkin could just be what Granny needs to get his scoring going again...

If Granlund gets traded I think Pittsburgh is the most likely landing spot. They have lost Guentzel for 4-6 months. His $6m could be put onto LTIR and easily create the cap space for Granny to add to their top 6. The Penguins seem to be considered a perennial contender, so it may make sense for them to trade say a 3rd rounder to rent a pending UFA.

What happened to Eriksson, Sutter and Baer contracts?

Agreed. STL will be looking to clear some cap space to resign Pietrangelo, Blais, Dunn, etc. My guess is that they will try and move Bozak and his $5m hit in the summer, and use Thomas or Sundqvist at 3C next season. They don’t need Sutter this season and they definitely don’t want Sutter’s cap hit next season.

Neither can VAN, without moving out significant cap